


anything you say can and will be held against you

by Kaiyote



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Gotham (TV)
Genre: M/M, Post-Episode: s05e12 The Beginning...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-24 20:02:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22323616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaiyote/pseuds/Kaiyote
Summary: It's the first time he's heard that name from that mouth in 10 years.
Relationships: Batman/Joker, Jeremiah Valeska/Bruce Wayne
Comments: 4
Kudos: 97





	anything you say can and will be held against you

* * *

" _Jeremiah_ —"

It's the first time he's heard _that_ name from _that_ mouth in 10 years. It still sends a shiver down his spine, but. No, no, that's not right.

"No." He shakes his head. "No, no, no, no, no." He waves his gun around in dissatisfaction. "Don't call me by _that_ name." He pauses. "Unless." A wry smile spreads across his face and mischief glimmers in his eyes. "You want me to call you _Bruce_?" He gestures up and down with his gun to the getup Batman is wearing. He can see Batman's eyes narrow in response even with the cowl and his jaw clench in frustration when he realizes that he's right: Batman is no more Bruce, now, than he is Jeremiah. Or maybe it’s the other way around? Either way, he lets out a giggle. "That's what I thought."

He starts pacing back and forth while still keeping his gun vaguely pointed in Batman's direction just enough to serve as a warning to not get too close, at least not yet. "No, no, if I'm not _Jeremiah_ and you're not _Bruce_ , but we're still **us** — We'll _always_ be **_us_**..." He mutters the last part more to himself. "If you're Batman, then I'm..." He trails off and stops pacing, feeling as if the answer is just within his grasp; then, slowly, he smiles when it finally pops into his head. _Without me, you're just a_ joke. "Your _joke_. Joke _r_. Batman and Joker. Joker and Batman. Yes, I think I like the sound of that. It has a nice ring to it." He turns to face Batman head-on, lowering his gun slightly so it’s not directly pointed at him anymore. "Don't you agree?"

Batman punches him in the face in response, taking the opening he’s left available for him by lowering the gun. He staggers back, moaning decidedly _not_ in pain as blood fills his mouth. He swallows it and licks his lips obscenely, spreading red—blood and lipstick—all over his mouth, then grins. _Without a_ punch _line_.

The Joker laughs.

* * *


End file.
